


The Last Five Years

by Princess_Kel



Category: Criminal Minds, The Last Five Years (2014)
Genre: AU, Angst, Crying, F/M, Feels, Loneliness, Sad Ending, Sad Penelope, Unrequited Love, oneshots, very sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 14:29:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5294744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Kel/pseuds/Princess_Kel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of one-shots inspired by the musical of the same name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Still Hurting

It's over, Garcia. He's gone. 

Penelope wraps the blanket tighter around her shoulders and squeezes her eyes shut in a futile attempt to keep the tears in and the memories out, but she's still crying and her head is still ringing with those awful words. 

Retired. Starting a family. 

It's not that she doesn't want the best for him, because she does. She wants him to have everything he every wanted and to be deliriously happy with his life. He deserves it. The problem is the selfish part of her heart that held out hope that maybe they could be happy together. Instead, she was left with a broken heart and an invitation to his and Savannah's wedding. 

Her mind races back to the first time she saw him. She was sitting in that California interrogation room, handcuffed to the table, arguing with Hotch, and feeling so conflicted. She'd gotten what she'd wanted; she'd been caught. Suddenly, though, she wasn't so sure she'd wanted this at all. Life with Shane had been hard, but would this new start really be any better? 

But it had been. God, it had been. Suddenly she had a great new job and this amazing team of people around her and, of course, Derek. Somewhere between "Hey, eyebrows," and "Penelope, I'm leaving," he had become an indispensable part of her life and her very identity. She wasn't just Penelope Garcia anymore; she was Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan's Baby Girl. 

Until this morning. Because the cases had gotten too hard, he'd said. He wanted more from life, he'd said. So he was leaving. Getting out. Because he could. He was abandoning her, and to add insult to injury, she couldn't leave even if she wanted to. She was stuck. 

A new sob erupted through her apartment and she gave a new, more literal meaning to "throw pillow" as she hurled one across the room and shattered a picture frame. He'd said he'd always be there to protect her. He'd said she was his God-given solace, the person he couldn't live without. She wondered bitterly when he'd changed his mind, or if it had ever been true in the first place. 

Derek had always loved his job. It was hard as all get out, but it was his passion, and when he needed support, he'd always know that Penelope was there for him, no matter what. That too had apparently changed. Suddenly his passion his job had all but disappeared, and he was turning to Savannah instead. It made sense, of course, but it still hurt like hell. She'd been replaced. 

He was leaving. She couldn't seem to wrap her head around the horrible truth. She'd been so convinced that he'd always be around to save the world, to confide in her, and to be there for her when she needed him. But she'd been wrong. He was giving up - on the BAU, and on her. He didn't need her anymore, after all. He had Savannah. He was getting married. Starting a family. 

Problem was, she still needed him.


	2. Shiksa Goddess

Shiksa Goddess

Time was creeping past impossibly slowly, and Derek Morgan was not a happy camper. He's finished all his paperwork, sharpened all his pencils, refilled his coffee cup three times, and made so many jokes at Reid's expense that even he was growing weary of them. It seemed there was absolutely noth-

Oh. 

Oh my. 

Suddenly the day was more interesting - a lot more interesting. 

From across the bullpen, Morgan had spotted someone he was absolutely certain he'd never seen before. He would've remembered a body like that: gloriously full bustline, cinched-in waist, rounded hips . . . yeah. He would've remembered. 

Suddenly, Derek knew exactly what - or who - he wanted to do today. He supposed the proper, gentlemanly thing to do would be to get to know her first, but he really didn't think it mattered too much. 

This mystery woman was so hot, she could be an unsub for all he cared. 

"Hey, Reid," he hissed, "What's the new tech girl's name?"

The young doctor paused in a rather uncharacteristic was as he tried to remember. "Uh, Gomez, I think." 

Gomez. Even her name was sexy. 

Derek took a deep breath and prepared one of his heartbreaking smiles before calling out, "Hey! Gomez!" When she didn't turn around, he raised his voice a bit and said, "Baby girl!" 

She turned slowly, and Derek was delighted to see that her bespectacled face was just as beautiful as her body. There was something familiar, though, about those eyes . . . 

Garcia. Tech girl. Unsub!

He couldn't believe this was the same hacker he'd helped catch back in California! Sure, he'd known she was coming to work with them, but he hadn't known how soon, and he certainly wasn't expecting the "Black Queen" to look like this! Her formerly dark auburn hair was a beautiful light blonde, her outfit was a little more business and a little less goth, and cute little glasses framed her eyes, but it was undeniably the same woman. 

What was he getting himself into?


	3. See I'm Smiling

Derek knocked timidly on Penelope's dressing room door and waited for her gentle invitation before slipping inside. 

"Hey," he greeted her softly. He held out the bouquet of flowers he'd brought and tried to gauge her reaction. Was that anger or just surprise in her eyes?

"You came," Penelope observed just as quietly. She took the flowers with a vague sound of thanks and laid them on her dressing table before crossing her arms and giving Morgan a puzzling look. 

When she started staring at him, any hope he'd had about mending their relationship tonight started to dissolve under her gaze. "Look, Garcia, if you don't want me here, I'll go," he stammered. 

She shook her head and wrapped her arms gently around his neck. "I'm glad you came, Derek," she whispered, then leaned back to look him in the eyes and added, "Really."

He smiled at her reassurance and said, "That was a really great performance, Penelope."

Garcia broke into a wide grin. "Well, thank you, Agent Morgan," she said in a flirtatious voice that Derek hadn't heard her use in far too long. "My costume sure is silly, though."

"I like it, mama," Morgan purred, following her lead and easing back into their old manner with his eyes locked on the way her costume accentuated her generous cleavage. 

"You would!" Penelope laughed out loud but wrapped herself in a nearby jacket, much to Derek's disappointment. 

There was a moment of silence before Penelope ventured to address the elephant in the room. "I've missed you, Derek." 

"I've missed you too, Baby Girl," he assured her, and wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders. She smiled as she buried her head into his oh-so-familiar chest. 

"Morgan, would you maybe want to get a drink with me?" She asked a little nervously. 

Derek stepped back, sighed deeply, and ran a calloused hand over his head. "God, I wish I could, Penelope," he lamented, "but I've got plans with Savannah." 

Penelope's heart dropped to her stomach and she could feel her face blushing deep red. She should've known better. Still, she couldn't help but call him out on the way he was acting. 

"You shouldn't have even come, Derek," she snapped. "I'd hate to interrupt any of your time with your precious Savannah." She knew she was being petty, but at the moment, she didn't actually care. 

Morgan, caught odd-guard, stammered for a response, but Garcia interrupted him, saying, "Did you even remember it was my birthday today?" Seeing the deer-in-the-headlights look on his face, she laughed humorlessly and spat, "Some best friend you are. Just get out, Morgan." 

Realizing it was futile to argue, he hung his head and took his leave, feeling about two feet tall and wanting nothing more than to blow off his plans, run back to Penelope, beg her forgiveness, and piece back together his relationship with the best friend he'd ever had. But he couldn't. 

On the other side of the door, Penelope's shoulders shook with silent sobs. She should've known better than to think she'd ever be more than an afterthought in the perfect little life of Derek Morgan.


End file.
